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• Hands-on agribusiness experience for NZ students in Brazil, Chile and Colombia

  Despite being located on opposite sides of the world, New Zealand and Latin America have very similar climates, a phenomenon which serves as an opportunity for students in professions connected to agriculture to broaden their knowledge and practical skills. The Prime Minister’s Scholarship programme has supported students travelling to Brazil, Chile and Colombia to study this subject. 

  In operation since 2013, the Prime Minister’s Scholarship programme has already provided support for around 3,050 New Zealanders studying abroad, covering their travel, meals, accommodation, studies, technical visits, and journeys in different regions.  

  In 2022, Brazil was the most popular Latin-American country among group scholarship recipients, receiving visits from three groups. Brazil was also the first country to welcome New Zealand students from the program following the COVID-19 pandemic.  

  12 members of the Agronomy and Business Faculty of Lincoln University travelled to São Paulo in November last year. Over the course of five weeks, they visited and studied at three Brazilian universities, visiting farms and production centres in São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Paraná and Santa Catarina states. 

  According to Dr. Hugh Bigsby of Lincoln University, who coordinated the groups of students, their visits were organised so they could learn about the countries and their cultures through their food. 

  “Our programmes are called ‘agribusiness summer schools’ and the aim is to try to understand the local economy, over a period of five weeks, through processes involved in food production and the textile industry, for example,” Hugh said. 

  “In each country, we introduce the students to farms, sales chains and supermarkets. At the end of the program, they are required to present a business idea that can contribute to the commercial relations between New Zealand and each country visited, supporting exports and imports,” explained Hugh. 

  Amongst the places visited in Brazil were the Higher Education School of Agriculture of the University of São Paulo, in Piracicaba; the Faculty of Agrarian Sciences of the Federal University of Paraná, in Curitiba; and the experimental farms operated by the Federal University of Viçosa. 

  “The partnerships with the local universities of each country are fundamental to the success of our program, since each of them provides us with the local economic context, demonstrates technological advances that are underway, and explains the specific features of the local producers,” Hugh said. 

  At the same time, a group of 10 students, from the School of Agriculture and Development at Massey University, were in Chile to pursue their studies of agribusiness techniques. The students explored several regions across the country, visiting the Austral University of Chile, the Catholic University of Valparaiso, and Magallanes University in Punta Arenas.  

  In addition to the universities, the students went to the Santiago Botanic Gardens, dairy cattle farms, vineyards, avocado plantations, and food cooperatives.   

  

  Massey University students at Universidad Austral de Chile, in Chile.

  Massey University Professor Ignacio López, accompanied students on their visit. He said the trip was an incredible experience.  

  “The students were impressed with how the farmers are capable of sustainably farming foods in extremely harsh conditions” Ignacio said.  

  

  Lincoln University students at Universidad de La Salle, in Colombia.

  A group of 20 students from the Agronomy and Business Faculty of Lincoln University travelled to Bogotá, Colombia, in January to study agribusiness. They were in the country for four weeks, studying at the La Salle University, located in the Colombian capital, and at Manizales University. 

  The students learnt about the wide range of agribusiness activities conducted in the country and in the Mercosur region, including detailed studies of Colombian coffee production techniques, which are considered a benchmark across the world.   

  The students from the three groups all returned home having recognised the creativity and experience of the Latin-American agricultural producers.  

  “For our students, the trip opened their minds to new possibilities and different ways of working with agriculture,” said Ignácio Lopez.  

  “They also realised that what they had experimented with can, indeed, be adjusted and applied in New Zealand” he said. 

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• From the CE: Keeping the focus on NZ

  Kia ora koutou, 

  It’s July and in New Zealand the middle of winter. Halfway through the year it’s a good time to reflect on how far we have come in a rapid six months. My first reflection is that it is great to have international students back in our communities, lecture theatres and classrooms. Since the borders reopened, we’ve seen good volumes of student visa applications, and those applications are reflected in steady growth in enrolments. While some parts of sector are doing better than others, the big picture is that learners are considering and choosing New Zealand as the place to come for a quality international education.  

  Having travelled to India, the US and Canada, and most recently China, alongside sector representatives, we should not underestimate how important this awareness and preference is. International education is hugely competitive. Competitors like Singapore and Ireland are not sitting still and we, collectively, need to keep New Zealand in front of the high-value students we want to attract. 

  In my opinion, the Prime Minister’s visit to China did just that. Education was a significant part of the itinerary and its importance as part of the bilateral relationship was mentioned in almost every engagement with the Government of China. The Prime Minister delivered an address at Peking University, and he had the opportunity to meet with alumni in a more informal environment. We also saw excellent coverage of the visit in key China media. China is an important partner market for New Zealand, and this was a very successful visit. A word of thanks to everyone involved in its organisation, the sector members of the delegation who travelled and everyone who participated. I know it was a mammoth task. 

  Another reflection I have is how pleasing it is to see young New Zealanders getting out into the world again as Prime Minister’s scholars. Reciprocity, as I am reminded when I am in market, is an important part of international education. Around 171 New Zealanders from 14 groups will travel to Asia and Latin America over the next year as part of the most recent Group round and the second round of individual scholarships will open next week. 

  As we look to what lies ahead, the theme of next month’s NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE KI TUA, Te Ara Ki Tua The pathway forward, will provide an immediate opportunity to focus on our future. Thanks in advance to the sector leaders who are speaking or running workshops in what looks to be a compelling programme at our 30th conference. KI TUA is our annual opportunity to get together as one and to listen, learn, discuss and importantly, network. Globally, we are a small participant and to build on the good start of the past six months we must continue to move forward together. I encourage you to attend and I look forward to meeting and talking with many of you in a few weeks. 

  Ki te kotahi te kakaho ka whati, Ki te kapuia e kore e whati  

  Alone we can be broken. Standing together, we are invincible

  Ngā mihi nui,

  Grant McPherson

• New Zealand education in focus during Prime Minister’s trip to China

  Education elements featured strongly in the Prime Minister’s Trade Delegation to China helping raise the visibility of New Zealand as an education destination for Chinese students.

  To launch the trip, the delegation joined the Prime Minister at a Showcasing New Zealand event held at the New Zealand Embassy in Beijing to promote New Zealand as a travel and study destination. ENZ invited key media, influencers, and Chinese and New Zealand students to interact with the Prime Minister. This sparked significant local news coverage, amongst leading Chinese state media, setting the tone for the visit and highlighting the significance of international student exchanges between New Zealand and China. New Chinese media outlets also were seen covering New Zealand education as a topic for the first time.

  

  Group photo at Showcasing New Zealand event! (It was a kiwi bbq)

  The Prime Minister also gave an address at Peking University to students, media, and the New Zealand delegation. To read the full speech, please visit the Beehive website.

  

  Peking University is host to the New Zealand Centre. Established in 2007 as a collaborative project between Peking University and the University of Auckland, the New Zealand Centre at Peking University has grown to represent all eight of New Zealand’s universities and enable high-level engagement across a range of departments and faculties. During the visit to the University on 28 June, the Prime Minister, with Hao Ping, Chair of Peking University Council and Gong Qihuang, President of Peking University, the Ambassadors of New Zealand and China, and representatives of the New Zealand Centre launched the Rewi Alley Professorship.

  There were also other several significant developments in our bilateral education links with China that were achieved while there. These included:

  • Signing of the Arrangement on Mutual Recognition of Academic Qualifications in Higher Education between the Ministries of Education witnessed by Prime Minister Rt Hon Chris Hipkins and Premier Li.
    
    
  • Signing of a Strategic Partnership between Education New Zealand and Air New Zealand to support international education mobility and joint promotion in China. To read more, please visit the article on ENZ Collaboration with NZ Inc Agencies in China.
    
    
  • The education delegation meeting with the Vice-Minister of Education Chen Jie (responsible for international cooperation) and China Ministry of Education officials. The meeting underscored the importance of a strong government-to-government relationship and provided a chance to showcase the education sectors present within the New Zealand delegation and discuss areas of existing and potential cooperation.
    
    
  • A Sustainability Roundtable with a focus on education involving the education sector delegation and Chinese education partners.

  It was a busy, challenging, insightful and ultimately very rewarding week. The education delegates also shared their own feedback. John van der Zwan, Executive Director Schools International Education Business Association reflected that the mission to China was hugely valuable and a chance to get high level insights into working with Chinese officials and agents following the pandemic.

  “The mission was also a special opportunity to engage with the Prime Minister and other government officials on the role and importance of international education for our school sector,” he said.

  Executive Director of English New Zealand, Kim Renner, noticed the shift in how New Zealand is profiled in China compared to many years ago and echoed the response from other delegates that the visit was valuable for the representatives of the education sectors. 

  “China is a development market for most of our members, so it was a great opportunity for English language to be part of this important delegation, particularly the meetings with the Vice Minister of Education and JJL Overseas Education Agency.”

  “While seeing the country is a key part of study travel, we know that inbound students also want an immersive experience focused on people, cultural exchange and making connections. This was certainly showcased during the visit and was received very positively by all those we engaged with”,  added.

  ENZ would like to offer its sincere thanks and congratulation to everyone who was involved in the preparation and planning for the visit and gives special recognition to the education sector representatives on the Prime Minister Trade Delegation.  

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